Hi all
I've noticed that the steering shaft coupling on the GT is scraping the cross member below, as shown here:



Should I be rotating the rack towards the front of the car to stop this, or just pushing the coupling as far towards the rack as possible?

How much clearance should there be between coupling and cross member anyhow? Doesn't look as though there can be much, even when properly aligned?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Paul.

Hey Paul,
The coupling must side over then whole length of the splined shaft.
Then the short clamping bolt can go thru it's hole in the coupling.
If it is still scraping on the cross member you can rotate the rack clockwise enough
so there is clearance.

Did you manage to get new steering rack rubber bushes from the company in S.A. ?
Cheers, Lewis

Here's the contact details for the steering rack rubbers and engine mounts from Rob SA's previous post:
[u]A &A IGLIO [/u]Engineering has already made the block to re-rubber both Bellett engine mounts and steering rack rubbers in high quality rubber, unlike what was used in the first place.

Contact details are; 8 Hill Street, Wingfield. SA 5013
ph/fax 08 8243 2016 mobile; 0412 293 940
email; tonyiglio@hotmail.com
This man specializes in building or rebuilding harmonic balances so he knows what he's doing with regards to joining bits of metal to rubber.
Hope this is of some help.

Lewis

Thanks Lewis. Yes, I'd got new steering rack rubbers about 2 months ago and fitted them.... Dave Carey was having a few made up so I got some then. Not entirely sure where he had them made, but they appear to fit well. Maybe the rack shifted a bit anticlockwise during this? Not sure, but I do know there was bugger all clearance between the coupling and cross member before that. I've been having a bit of ongoing trouble in this area and had to replaced the rubber coupling late last year...

Coupling seems to be where it should be in reference to the rack; covering the whole of the splined shaft, and the key bolt goes in fine. So only thing left to do is undo the rack mounts and attempt to rotate rack. Any idea how much clearance should I be aiming for, or is it just a matter of putting the steering shaft back in the column and trying to get it all to line up before tightening everything up?

Quick question - when I do put the steering shaft back in the column, should I be using grease, dry lube or graphite? What's the best option?

Cheers, Paul.

The workshop manual doesn't give any clearance detail. I have about 10mm (finger width) on mine.
You just have to rotate the steering rack enough to achieve clearance without a big change of direction
at the coupling.. And I just lightly greased the splines before sliding together.
Cheers, Lewis

Paul,
Lewis is right. About 10mm is plenty. I don't use anything on the shaft. Dry all the way. If at a later date and the top of the column starts to make a noise, just a touch of Inox lanox spray will fix it. A TE2 tie rod end boot on the end of column will keep dust and moisture out. Don't use any ties or clamps where the boot runs onto the shaft. let it free run. Again, a touch spray of lanox.
If anybody decides to overhaul their rack. The shell on the end of the rack that holds the tie rod [rack end] in has a oval hole. When screwed up to its limit, make sure the oval is perpendicular. As the suspension moves up and down. So does the tierod and end. If the hole is not perpendicular, the tierod is restricted in its movement and this may lead to damage to the shell or tierod. I have had a ball on the end of the tierod break away. This happened on my first car back in '68. We welded it up and put it back in. I later got a new one and replaced the welded one.

Dave.